Al's #1 Italian Beef

First opened in 1938 in Little Italy, Al's #1 Italian Beef is celebrated as Chicago's oldest and most iconic Italian beef institution. The shop is renowned for serving thinly sliced spiced roast beef piled onto Italian bread, deeply dipped in savory gravy and topped with traditional giardiniera.

Commenters hold mixed but impassioned views, with some endorsing the Taylor Street location as an undisputed favorite while others dismiss it as overhyped or 'mid.' Many locals frequently propose neighborhood alternatives like Jay's or Frannie's, and several humorously pointed out the copious layers of wrapping paper and grease accompanying each sandwich.